Story Reader / Interlude / Untainted Prayer / Story
Rargh! Ga—!
Rosetta thrusts her spear into the bionic's power connectors, destroying it completely.
However, she seems to have mistaken the size of the tide. An almost endless horde of bionics are still charging out of the snowy forest.
No... I have to tell those girls to get out of there, now!
Rosetta shoves aside a bionic in the way and scurries out of the forest.
As expected, the girls are having a snowball fight on the mountain, completely unaware of the situation.
Rosetta runs over and shouts at the girls anxiously. No time to care about Pfaff's orders.
Run away! The tide is coming!
The girl grabbed by Rosetta stares at her curiously. The other frolicking girls also pause and stare at Rosetta in interest.
Wait, what's going on? Who are you...
Anxious, Rosetta turns with the girl in hand, attempting to pull her out of this place by force.
But she pauses at the sight behind her—the forest is still and silent, without any sound of bionics, as if the tide itself had never happened.
Are you... the girl who lives in the forest we've heard rumors about?!
Uh, yeah... No, I'm serious! But the bionics, where have they...
The girl, overjoyed, takes Rosetta's hand to show her friends.
Hah! Whaddaya say? I told you the "girl in the forest" wasn't just a rumor! That's what you get for laughing at me!
The other girls gather around Rosetta, looking at her curiously.
I'm Lisa. What's your name?
Rosetta...
Hi, Rosetta! Now that we know each other's names, that makes us friends! Come on! Let's play!
Having never talked to anyone before, Rosetta did not know how to say no. In a state of confusion, she allows Lisa to drag her and join the other girls.
It was a completely new world to Rosetta. She never thought she would be so happy just talking aimlessly with other girls or playing silly games.
Rosetta, thanks for playing with us for so long and telling us so much about the forest!
No, it's... Yeah, I had a lot of fun...
Great! But I guess you gotta get home. Looks like your grandpa is here to pick you up.
Rosetta turns in surprise and sees Pfaff nearby looking at them.
Grandpa! Sorry... I was worried that the bionics were going to attack the girls. So I had to warn them... I won't do it again!
To Rosetta's surprise, Pfaff did not seem to be angry. Instead, he politely waves at the girls.
Rosetta, don't forget to wave and say goodbye to your friends. You don't want to be rude, do you?
B-bye...
Bye! Let's play together again sometime!
Grandpa...
Rosetta, has living in the forest been lonely?
Rosetta's eyes jut wide open at Pfaff's question, but she then quickly shakes her head.
Nope, not at all... I have you and the animals in the forest, Grandpa... And there's the Guardian Spirit. Everything is fine just the way it is.
Pfaff laughs, a hint of resolution in his chuckle. He takes Rosetta by the hand and places the carving knife he bought on her palm.
I'm getting old, Rosetta. Can't keep running around. Starting tomorrow, you'll have to buy supplies at the port for us in my stead.
But why, Grandpa?! And the tide, too...
Don't worry. The Guardian Spirit has returned, and the tide will be gone soon.
Pfaff puts two fingers to his lips and blows a long and loud whistle. Rosetta runs excitedly to the side of the mountain, taking in the view of the sea—
——▄——▆▁——▃
All of a sudden, a mechanical narwhal leaps out of the sea with a splash. The girls stop their snowball fight and cheer in awe.
In the shade of the forest, Temia silently watches over the girls in play.
Could we have been like them, had it not been for that accursed experiment...?
The past is in the past. We are the Forest Guard—we are sinners with nothing but our duty.
Captain...
Let's move out, Forest Guards. We must destroy the remaining bionics before nightfall.
Roger!
